Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Rays Run Into a Buzzsaw

Rays 4,Red Sox 12

Maybe it is only fitting that both teams have problems in each other’s home stadium. Tampa Bay looks a bit lost and unsure on the mound and in the field in Boston. Thank goodness this is only a three game series.

The night that the Rays traded for Gabe Gross he had just finished celebrating scoring the winning run for his former Brewers team. But tonight, Gross got the monkey off his back by hitting a 2-run homer to right that scored Dioner Navarro.

Gross has had a wild ride adjusting to American League pitching, and went 1-2 to improve his average to .143 for the Rays. Gross also got an outfield assist by throwing a bullet to get Jason Varitek at second in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Honorable mention “Good” guys:

*** Rays first baseman Carlos Pena a great dipping ball that was mis-played by Red Sox rightfielder J D Drew to got 1-4 tonight. Carlos ended up getting thrown out at the plate by Manny Ramirez in the top of the 4th inning.

** Rays catcher Dioner Navarro is still holding a hot bat as he went 2-4 tonight and is batting .342 for the season. Navarro also scored a run on Gross’s homer.

* Rays second baseman Aki Iwamura has had a rough time in the leadoff spot this year. Aki is currently hitting .214 after going 2-4 tonight. Aki also had a solo homer to left in the top of the 8th inning.

The Bad

The Rays have not seemed to figure out how to win consistantly in Fenway yet. For this team to get farther in the standings, they will have to learn to be productive in the oppositions hostile park. Carl Crawford seems lost at times in the shadow of the Green monster, and is hestitant to play the ball on a first hop or bounce off it’s surface yet.

When he figures out how to play that famous corner and it’s famed wall, he, and the Rays will have turned the corner to winning at that ballpark.

The Ugly

A week after putting the Boston hitter in a funk, the Red Sox returned a bit of revenge on Rays starter James Shields. He lasted 3.2 innings and threw 98 pitches before being lifted for J D Howell.

Shields threw 55 strikes in his 98 pitches and gave up 10 hits and 7 earned runs. His pitched were not consistant and the Boston hitters seemed to be sitting on his curveball and change-up for their hits.

James fell to 3-2 for the season and has not won at Fenway in his career………………yet.

Former Rays player of the Night:

It is a great thing when a pitcher can help his cause for a win. With that in mind, my player of the night is Houston Astro’s pitcher Brandon Backe. He went 1-3 tonight with a homer in the 5th inning off Brewer’s starter Manny Para. Backe had 3 strikeouts tonight and is currently 2-3 for the year.

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.